Player piano



Sept. 8. 1925.

A. G. GULBRANSEN PLAYER PIANO Original Filed June 21, 1918 Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXEL G'r. GULBRANSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GULBRANSEN COMPANY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PLAYER PIANO.

Application filed June 21, 1918, Serial To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AXEL G. GULBRAN- SEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and 5 State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Player Pianos, of which the following is a full,

clear concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying draw- 10 ings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates generally to player pianos and has particular reference to an improvement in the construct-ion of the pneumatic action mechanism thereof.

The objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a simple and efficient pneumatic action which, through the pro vision of a novel system of levers connecting each of the pneumatics with its corresponding action sticker, is caused to uni-- formly actuate the several stickers to secure a uniform intensity of all of the hammer strokes;

Second, to provide a pneumatic action 5 which can be readily and easily adjusted relative to the piano action to secure the proper contact with both the piano keys and with the pneumatic action levers; and

Third, to provide a pneumatic action wherein the several parts are integrated into a unitary compact whole, which can be readily and easily applied to and detached. from the piano action. 1

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating a. preferred form of my invention, and in which the figure is a fragmentary view, in elevation, of a combined pneumatic and manual piano action, a portion being shown in section to better illustrate the piano action.

The piano action is mounted in the usual manner on cross rails which are supported at their ends by the action bracket 2. I have 8 shown only the lower portion of this piano action, since the upper portion consisting of the hammers, jacks, dampers, etc., has no cooperative relation with the present invention and is apparent to those skilled in the art. As far as the same is shown, this piano action comprises the upright abstract 17 and the wippen 19 of which of course there is one such combination for each pneumatic. The abstract 17 is pivoted by a pin No. 241,257. Renewed January 8, 1923.

22 to a guide lever 21 which in turn is pivoted at its upper end to the wippen 19 and is operative when raised and lowered to oscillate the wippen about its pivotal center 19. In the playing of the piano this occillating motion of the wippens 19 is translated through the usual arrangement of jacks, hammer butts and hammers into striking impulses upon the piano strings, all of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In the manual playing of the piano, a series of piano keys 1 are arranged to strike the lower ends of their corresponding abstracts 17. These piano keys are pivotally supported on the key bed in the usual manner and at their upper ends are provided with capstan screws 18 which bear against the felt pads 20 secured to the lower end of each of the abstracts 17.

The pneumatic operation of the, piano is effected through the usual stacks of pneumatics which have attachment with the piano action through a novel system of levers which I shall presently describe. These pneumatics, designated 3, are 1nounted in rows in vertically staggered order, on the face of the channel board 4. This staggered disposal of the pneumatics align each pneumatic with its corresponding abstract 17. The pneumatics 3 are of a conventional construction consisting of a fixed upper leaf and ahinged lower leaf interconnected by collapsible fabric bellows. Each pneumatic is suspended from the bottom of a block 3 which is glued or otherwise secured to the base of the channel board 4 and which contains the valve mechanism for the pneumatics.

This valve mechanism comprises a winged valve 7 disposed in a vertical valveway and provided with a valve head or button 9 which operates in a valve chamber 10 to control atmospheric and suction ports opening into the same. A passageway 12 connects the valve chamber 10 with the interior of chamber 10. The valve head 9 normally feeders constituting part of the usual piano' mechanism. The suction in the passageway 8 is active under the valve head 9 for non mally retaining the latter on the valve seat 10, and is also active upon the upper surface of a flexible diaphragm 141- which partitions the diaphragm chamber 13 and en" the bottom of the winged valve portion 7. l hediaphragm 1d is normally neutralized by an equal suction acting upon the under side thereof. This suction is transmitted from the suction channel through the blcedcr port 15 and down through the passageways 5 and 13 into the lower portion ot the diaphragmchamber 13. There are a plurality of these passageways 5, one

for each of the pneumatics 8, drilled down through the channel boardto different depths to effect communication with the diaphrag'm chamber of their respective pneumatics. The upper ends 1 tin 1e passingways 5 are intersected by horizontal passageways drilled in the strips at which have communication through the nipples 6 vith the ducts or tubes 6 leading'up to the corresponding perforations in the tracker bar. The strip L-shaped, theiscarf therein cooperating with the scarf in the edge of the channel board 4t for forming the suction channel L8. It will'be apparent that when the opening in the tracker bar is uncovered by perforations in the note sheet,

atmospheric pressure will be transmitted down throughthe tube 6 and into the passageway 5 faster than it can be eXhausted through the restricted bleeder port Accordiiiigly this atmospheric pressure acts upon the under side ot the diaphragm let, flexingthe same upward and throwing the valve to uncover the port 10 and cover the port 11. This action places the interior of the pneumatic in communication with the exhausted passageway S and the pneumatic is instantly exhausted resulting in a contraction of the pneumatic and operation of the corresponding abstract 1'3. The several blceder ports 15 are rendered acce sible through the provision of the openings 1L5 in the wall of the channel board t and aligned with the ports 17 'lhese openings 45 are covered by a strip of packing 4:? held over the opening by a removable wood strip 46. The bleeder ports 15 are in the torn'i ot stamped sheet metal buttons and by interchangingthese buttons for buttons of larger or smaller bleeder openings, the rapidity ment with an abstract rod 16.

with which the diaphragm chamber is bled after operation oi the pneumatic can be varied.

Referring particularly to the lower pneumatics, it will be noted that the hinged heat 34; oi each pneumatic projects out beyond the end of the pneumatic and has attach- The lower end of the abstract 16 is connected with a vertically swinging lever 26 which is pivotally mounted at its forward end 27 upon the lower edge 28 t the channel board 1-. This hinged connection is .Sllppoltttl by a hinge piece or bracket 30 which is sewn-ed to the bottom of the channel board 1: by a screw 31 and which supports a pivot pin 32 pass ing through the end of the lever 26. It will be noted that the lever 26 is relatively long and that the abstract 16 is connected thereto short ol its free end 29 so that the effective 26. 1 preferably connect the pneumatic by means of a swivel or universal 3o1nt termed by a spherical leather washer arrangedon top of theleatt (l l,

and a similar washer 36 or rounded surface 2 i i I 7 on the end oil the abstract which bears against the under side of the leaf The upper surtace oi? the boa d 34: is provided with a spherical depression in which bears the spherical washer 538 and a screw 37 passes down through the washers and leat','

and threads into the abstract Lil. llhis construction forms a suitable universal joint between the bottom eat and the abstract to permit the free angular movement of the two parts as the pneumatic operates. In connecting the lower end of the abstract to he lever 26 I also employ the above arrangement of spherically shaped washers 40 and ll for contact with the opposite sides of the lever 26 a d the screw for threading into the lower end of the al'istract.

As hereinbetore explained, the rear end oi the lever 26 projects beyond its connection with the abstract 16 and the forward end of the guide lever 21 projectsbeyond the abstract 17 in such a manner as to bring-5 the forward end of the guide lever 21 directly over the rear end 29 ot the lever 26. The end 01" the guide lever 21 is provided with an adjusting screw which carries a block 453 and a Felt pad All at its lower end. The crew 43 is adjusted to place the felt pad 44; contact with the end 29 of the lever 26. here the "felt pad tends to cushion the conact between these two'parts. The screw 4:3 has a head which adapted to be engaged by a socket wrench which may be in sorted between the neu.':iatics and the abstracts of the piano action for adjusting: the contact between the screw '13 and outer end ot the lever 26.

I arrange the adjustment between the operating lever 26 and the guide lever 21 by means of the screw 43 .so that I can best and most easily adjust the several parts to allow for any slight change in their positions, which may occur. I

The adjustment, as arranged between the guide lever 21 and the lever 26, is useful to adjust the player actions to properly cooperate with the piano action. For instance, the vertical position of the sticker 17 may vary slightly and require adjustment of the screw 18. This in turn may vary the vertical position of the guide lever and require an adjustment bet veen this lever and the lever 26. On the other hand, the vertical position of the free end of the lever 26 may change slightly, and this will also require adjustment between the guide lever and the operating lever. Thus I can easily perform the necessary adjustment to meet any slight discrepancies of the parts and to cause the player actions to properly cooperate with the piano action by means of the adjusting screw 43.

It is obvious that as the point of contact between the lever 26 and the guide lever 2 is beyond the connection with the pneumatics that I obtain a slightly increased movement for transmission to the lever 21. This additional throw of the lever 21 is secured by the most simple and compact arrziiangement of the pneumatic action obtaina le.

Furthermore, I obtain a more powerful control of the sticker, for, as explained, the point of contact between the lever 21 and the lever 26 is beyond the connection with the sticker, so that I secure a longer lever to lift the sticker than if I had connection directly with the sticker itself, or between the sticker and the pivoted end of the lever 21.

It should be noted that the pivotal attaching of the lever 26 to the edge of the channel board 4 relieves to a great extent, the. pneumatics of the weight of the lever 26 and the parts resting thereon. By employing the lever 26 to actuate the piano action rather than the lower leaf of the pneumatics, I have relieved the hinged joint of the pneumatics of all unnecessary strain and transferred it to the pivotal connection of the lever 26with the lower edge of the channel board 4.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my improved pneumatic action can be quickly and easily removed from the piano for repairs, and can be as easily replaced and brought into operative relation with the piano action. There is an entire absence of linkages and other fixed connections between the pneumatic action and the piano action which might require releasing or fastening to permit these operations. The channel board, pneumatics, abstracts, and operating levers come out as a single unit in removing the pneumatic action and in replacing this unit, the operating levers are merely guided under the adjusting screws and the parts resume operative relation.

I claim:

1. In a player piano having a keyboard, a channel board above the keyboard, a pneumatic carried by the channel board at a distance above the lower edge of the channel board, a hinge on the lower edge of the chan nel board, a vertically swinging lever pivoted at its outer end on the hinge and lying below the pneumatic, the pneumatic having a movable board hinged adjacent the channel board, an abstract operatively linking the movable board to the lever adjacent the free end thereof, a piano abstract rising from the keyboard, a guide lever pinned for pivotal movement adjacent to its free end to the piano abstract adjacent its lower end and extending towards the pneumatic, the said swinging lever engaging the guide lever to lift it when the pneumatic acts, both the swinging lever and the guide lever normally lying in a substantially horizontal position, said guide lever having an adjusting screw in the outer end thereof to adjust the engagement with the swinging lever.

2. In combination, a player piano c0mprising a key board, a channel board mounted above the keyboard, a pneumatic on the rear face thereof, said pneumatic having a movable member, a lever pivoted on one end at the base of said channel boa-rd beneath said pneumatic, means forming a permanent pivotal connection between said movable member and said lever between the pivot and the rear end of the lever, a piano abstract, a guide lever pivoted thereto extending forwardly to a point over the free end of first said lever and having a permanent pivotal connection to said piano abstract, and an adjustable contacting screw carried by one of the adjacent free ends of the levers to form a non-fixed connection between said levers and permit adjustment of the angular and stroke relations of said levers.

3. In a player piano, in combination, a piano action including a vertical abstract, a player action positioned in front of said piano action, and a contact connection be tween said actions comprising a lever proecting forward from said piano action, a. lever projecting rearward along the bottom of said player action, the ends of said levers being superposed in a position accessible from above through the space between said actions, and means in the uppermost lever end for adjusting the connection.

4. In a player piano, in combination, a piano action including a vertical abstract, a player action positioned in front of said piano action, and a contact connection bel (l O tween said actions comprising a lever projecting forward from said piano action, a lever projecting rearwardly along the bottom of said player action, the ends of said levers being superposed in a position accessible from above through the space between said actions, and means in the uppermost lever end for adjusting the connect-ion, said means including a screw threaded contact member with an upwardly projecting end shaped to lit a vertically inserted tool.

5. In a player piano, a piano action, a player action adjacent thereto but slightly spaced therefrom, and connections between said actions at the bottom of the space between them, accessible from above through said space for adjustment urposes.

6. In a player piano, a piano action, a

player action adjacent thereto but slightly spaced therefrom, said action comprising a channel board and Pneumatics arranged in staggered relation and extending rearwa tlly from said board, levers extending across the bottom of said action all at the same level into the space between said actions, operative connections between each pneumatic and its lever, levers projecting for- Ward from said piano action to overlie the ends of said player levers, and adjustable connection means carried by said piano action levers operable from above through the space between said actions.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of June, A. D. 1918.

AXEL e. eULBRaNsna. 

